Melampus
Melampus was a legendary soothsayer and healer, originally of Pylos, who ruled at Argos. He was descended from the Titan Prometheus. He introduced the worship of Dionysus, and possessed powers as a seer that were derived from the Egyptians, one of which allowed him to understand animals. History His father was Amythaon, whose name implies the "ineffable" or "unspeakably great"; Thus Melampus and his heirs were Amythaides of the "House of Amythaon". One day, in Pylos, strife occurred between Melampus and Neleus, who usurped Melampus's "great high house", forcing him into heroic exile. Melampus spent a year as bondsman in the house of Phylacus: "all for Neleus' daughter Pero". Melampus was visited by "the mad spell a Fury, murderous spirit, cast upon his mind. But the seer worked free of death". He managed to take back his fathers house in Pylos, killing Neleus and marrying his daughter Pero to his brother Bias. But Melampus's own destiny was in Argos, where he lived and ruled. He married Iphianeira, daughter of king Megapenthes, and sired a long line of descendants, beginning with his four children, Antiphates, Pronoe, Abas and Manto. He lived through the short reign of Megapenthes' son Argeus, and then through the rule of his grandson Anaxagoras. King Anaxagoras offered a reward for anybody that could heal his son Alector, who suffered from a strange malady. Melampus killed an ox and talked to the vultures that came to eat the corpse. They said that the last time they had had such a feast was when the king had made a sacrifice. They told Melampus that the prince had been frightened of the big, bloody knife and the king tossed it aside to calm the child. It had hit a tree and injured a hamadryad, who cursed the prince with the sickness. The hamadryad told Melampus that the boy would be healed if the knife was taken out of the trunk of the tree and boiled, then the prince should drink the rusty water that resulted. Melampus followed her directions and, as payment for the cure, demanded two thirds of the kingdom for himself, and one third for his brother, Bias. The king agreed. Melampus' reputation as a seer spawned myths that verge on anecdote, to account for his gift, the offering of serpents. In one, as a young boy, he told his servants not to kill two snakes. Grateful, the snakes gave Melampus the ability to speak with animals. After this there were three kings ruling Argos at any time, one descended from each of Bias, Melampus, and Anaxagoras. Melampus was succeeded by his son Mantius, and his house of Melampus lasted down to the brothers Alcmaeon and Amphilochus, who fought in the Trojan War. Late in his life, Melampus was kidnapped. In his cell, he overheard two termites talking, claiming they would be finished eating through Melampus' ceiling the next morning. Melampus called his captors and demanded a move. He made such an uproar that the kidnappers agreed. When the ceiling collapsed the next morning, the kidnappers decided he was a prophet and that to hold on to him might offend the gods. They let him go. Melampus also figures in the tale of King Midas, the pleasure-loving King of Phrygia. He was chosen to be a judge between the famous musical contest between Apollo and Marsyas. Although Apollo clearly had won, he disagreed with the other judges. Apollo called the King an ass, and to prove his point he touched him on the head and gave Midas the ears of a donkey. Long and hairy they sprouted up, and Midas in a panic covered them up with a tall Phrygian cap, hoping nobody ever discovered his embarrassing secret. Only his barber knew of this disgraceful matter, but Midas had warned him that he would be put to death if ever he revealed to anyone the asinine state of the King's ears. The barber found himself bursting with the secret and couldn't bear to keep the gossip to himself, but was afraid for his life. So he dug a hole in the bank of the Pactolus river and, after making certain that nobody was listening, he whispered into the hole that "King Midas has an ass's ears." Filling up the hole to forever bury the secret, the barber went away happy and at peace with himself. All was well until the next spring, when a reed sprouted up from the hole and whispered to the other reeds that King Midas had the ears of a donkey. These reeds in turn whispered the secret to all creatures who passed. Soon the birds learned the news and brought it to Melampus. Melampus told all his friends and soon the entire kingdom knew about King Midas' miserable secret. Category:Priests Category:Descendants Category:Mortals Category:Rulers